DB Sommer wrote on 3/22/2004, 12:45 PM:

 >
 > Not a good time in my life at the moment, but I got to move forward,
 > so here
 > goes.

    Sorry to hear that, DB.  Hope things get better.

 >
 > The Things We Wish For...
 > Chapter 14

 > During the two weeks, every member of the two families visited the
 > hospital,
 > and in the cases of Akane, Kasumi, Nodoka, and Soun nearly every day with
 > the patients. Or tried to in Kachiko's case since she refused any
 > company.

    Use of "case" twice in close succession.

 > Ranma had remained quiet and pensive every time Akane had seen him.
 > She knew
 > something was troubling him deeply, but the few times the two of them had
 > been alone all of her attempts to get him to open up failed miserably. He
 > would give a terse, 'It's nothing,' and wouldn't let the matter go any
 > further. Due to his injured state, Akane didn't press the issue, but his
 > unwillingness to confide frustrated her. He had always been there for her
 > when she needed help, now why wouldn't he let her do the same for him?

    Nodoka:  "Because that wouldn't be Manly!"
    Akane:  "Grrr.  Let me get some cold water..."

 > "Welcome Back!" everyone shouted.
 >
 > Kachiko appeared surprised at the display. Then her eyes focused on the
 > banner that said, "Welcome Home!" in bright red letters. "Yeah, I'll be
 > going home," she intoned mournfully, looking even more depressed than
 > before.

    You know, it's a good thing she doesn't know the Shishi Hokodan.
    Ryoga:  "Kachiko, truly you are the grand master of depression!  Take 
me as your student!"

 > Forcing concern about Kachiko from her mind, Akane turned to Ranma. "It's
 > wonderful having you back."
 >
 > Ranma said nothing, instead staring off in the direction Kachiko had
 > departed.
 >
 > "I said, it's wonderful having you back," Akane repeated louder and in a
 > more forceful tone.

    Tranlastion:  "Read my mind, you baka!  Can't you see how worried I was 
about you?  Don't you APPRECIATE that?"

 > "So much for feeling welcome," Nabiki said dryly as she headed off.
 > Soun and
 > Kasumi stared in concern at where Kachiko had gone, while Nodoka was
 > actually chewing on the cuff of her kimono in worry at Ranma's brusque
 > behavior.

    Sug:  "...concern in the direction Kachiko had gone, while next to her 
Nodoka actually chewed on..."

 > Akane's reaction was the most intense. She remained where she was,
 > seething
 > in anger.

    Maybe the most intense, but the least outwardly expressive.
    Sug:  "...stood rooted to the spot..."

 >She had displayed a huge amount of concern for Ranma's well
 > being
 > and went out of her way to welcome him with open arms, and how did he
 > react?

    Yeah, HUGE amount of concern.  She was practically ramming it down his 
throat.

 > By casually ignoring her, as though she hadn't existed. Instead he was
 > running around, mooning over Kachiko and her stupid mood swings even
 > after
 > barely seeing Akane for the better part of two weeks. Apparently he
 > didn't
 > have the time to acknowledge his ex-fiancee's existence.

    Akane Perception Filter:  Full On!

 > More depressed than any time since Mount Phoenix, Ranma slowly trudged to
 > the backyard. Once again his attempts to cheer up Kachiko, or at least
 > find
 > out what had happened to her, had been rebuffed. No matter how hard he
 > tried, it was always the same. Even turning on his considerable charm,
 > which
 > had always worked before the horrible events of that night, was

    <choke>

 > useless. She
 > had been dying for his attention before that. Now, it seemed nothing
 > he did
 > made her react to him. He might as well have been a lump of dirt for
 > all the
 > attention she gave. Whatever Tarou did to her must have been

    Sug:  "had done"

 > terrifying. He
 > would break the bastard's neck the next time he saw him for what he did.
 > Whatever it was.

    <snerk>

 > Ranma blamed himself for whatever events had led to Kachiko's depressed
 > state. She had been with him. They were on a date. More than any other
 > time,
 > he should have been there to protect her. How could he have been so
 > stupid
 > and let his guard down? He knew Tarou was interested in her. He had
 > appeared
 > a couple of times trying to woo her. Why didn't Ranma anticipate the

    Sug:  "Why hadn't Ranma anticipated..."

 > bastard's attempt to mess up the date? Of course Tarou would panic
 > knowing
 > Kachiko was dating Ranma, which would ruin his insidious plans to woo

    It seems impossible that someone could be so concerned for someone 
else, and yet so self-centered, at the same time.  And yet it really 
does happen.
    Of course, in the R.5-verse, it takes on new proportions...

 > He still hadn't figured out what had happened. It seemed more mental than
 > physical, although during their stay in the hospital, Ranma had overheard
 > the doctors mention that Kachiko's heart had stopped twice. The moment

    Uh huh.

 > Ranma
 > discovered that, he ran to her room and once again tried to make her tell
 > him what had happened. When she learned his concern stemmed from her
 > 'heart
 > condition' she revealed to him that she had simply not been hooked up
 > to the
 > monitor, and that she was in no danger of dying from a heart attack.

    Which is true.  She was just temporally displaced.      

The
 > assurance had a ring of truth to it, so Ranma let the matter lie,
 > though he
 > stayed two extra days at the hospital until Kachiko recovered, just to
 > stay
 > close to her in case something else went wrong. There were no further
 > incidents, and the doctors finally allowed Kachiko to return home on this
 > day.

    "on this day" just seems awkward.

 > Ranma had been trying to get her to open up and allow him to help her
 > recover, it was the least he owed her, but it was like trying to run

    But trying to help her in order to assuage your own guilt is the 
*wrong* way to approach the problem.

 > nothing she could do to change it. The two attacks she had suffered in
 > the
 > hospital had  been more painful and lasted longer. Instinctively she

    Yep.  Called it.  Not that it wasn't obvious.

 > Kachiko was slightly surprised to see her visitor was Nabiki. Her 'middle
 > daughter' was shifting uncomfortably, an odd contrast to the smile she
 > wore.
 >
 > Nabiki cleared her throat, then tried to speak casually, though there
 > was a
 > hesitation in her voice. "Hey, there, nice to have you back." She
 > stopped,
 > leaving an obvious opening for Kachiko to respond so they could start
 > a conversation.

    It's weird seeing Nabs so... lost, but the way it's handled is very 
much in-character for her.

 > So I just wanted to let you know I'm glad you're here and everything
 > turned
 > out okay and I apologize for trying to kill you with that cursed
 > hourglass.
 > Heck, I'd even be proud if you were my mom, though don't expect me to
 > start
 > calling you that. I'm not Kasumi."

    I can just hear her saying this.  All in a quick rush before the words 
jam in her mouth...

 > The warmth from Nabiki's approval made Kachiko all the more bitter. She
 > decided to go downstairs and find someone that would make her feel
 > uncomfortable with being here. Something to make the inevitable departure
 > seem a like blessing in disguise, or at least less painful.

    And I can just SEE how this is going to go...

 > Turning away from a boiling pot, Kasumi looked up and smiled as she
 > noticed
 > Kachiko for the first time. "Good day, Moth... I mean Kachi. Do you
 > mind of
 > I call you Kachiko, though? I don't like being quite that informal."
 >
 > Kachiko's jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

    <snerk>  Go on, Kasumi, kill her with kindness!

 > Missing the time-lost girl's suddenly dazed state, Kasumi continued
 > talking.
 > "I'm preparing your favorite meal tonight, since this is your first day
 > back. You don't have to worry about any of the cooking. I'll do it all
 > myself. You just relax and enjoy yourself."
 >
 > Kasumi moved the pot off the burner and grabbed a ladle. She dipped it in
 > and pulled it up next to her face, blowing on the contents for a moment
 > before sampling it. Shaking her head, she returned the pot to the burner.

    Now, I know *nothing* about Japanese cooking, but *every* time I see a 
cook in anime taste-test something, it seems like they always make sure 
to use a small tasting dish, so that their lips never touch anything 
that's touching the cooking.  But take that for what it's worth.

 > "Maybe I should do some cleaning?" Kachiko asked as a way of probing the
 > waters.
 >
 > "Oh no! I wouldn't even think of it. From now on, I'll take care of
 > all your
 > belongings, just like I do everyone else," Kasumi assured her. "You're
 > family, just like my sisters."
 >
 > Kachiko felt like passing out. This was not going the way she had
 > envisioned. It was far better than anything she would have imagined,
 > which
 > ironically, only served to make her feel a dozen times worse.

    Irony, thy name is... er, well, *everything,* in thise case.

 > Kasumi blushed slightly as she asked, "By the way, once you're feeling
 > up to
 > it, would you like to go out dancing again sometime? I had a great
 > deal of
 > fun, though I'll be having much less to drink. I'm still not good at
 > knowing
 > which places are fun to dance at, so I'll have to let you choose, but I'd
 > really look forward to it."

    Kasumi-chan, Polite and Proper Party Animal.  I'd pay to see that...

 > Her vision blurred as her eyes started to tear up. She pointed her face
 > downward as she walked, trying to get control of herself before she
 > started
 > bawling and had everyone worrying over her. That was why she was caught
 > off-guard and slammed into something that was soft on the outside, but
 > had a
 > firmness to it like rock underneath. Off-balance, she started to fall

    First I thought that was Ranma...

 > to the
 > ground, but was caught by a strong pair of hands before she could hit the
 > floor.
 >
 > Kachiko looked up into the face of the man who held her. Good. It was the
 > creepy old guy. Now that he had her in his embrace, he'd go into his

    ...but it works for Soun, too.  Always easy to forget that he's a 
world-class Martial Artist himself.

 > usual
 > weepy 'Kachi-chan' act and make a pass at her, refusing to let go and
 > most
 > likely trying for a grope. His continued adoration was almost enough
 > to make
 > her relieved she was going back, save for the fact she was destined to
 > end
 > up in his arms again, even if she still couldn't fathom the how of it.

    "Heck with it.  Take me now, geezer!  Maybe your younger self will seem 
studly by comparison."

 > Rather than continuing to hold her, Soun set her back on her feet and
 > looked
 > down on her in concern. "Are you all right?"
 >
 > She was surprised by his civility, and his willingness to release her.
 > "I'm
 > fine." She waited for his diatribe on how much he missed her during her
 > absence and that they should date, or something worse.
 >
 > Instead he said, "Good. You really must be more careful. You've been in a
 > terrible accident, although thankfully you've recovered."
 >
 > "Uh, yeah," she said, wondering why he was so behaving so subdued. Had
 > someone tranquilized him?

    Now *there's* a thought.  I'd suggest something for treating 
manic-depressiveness, though.

 > He asked, "Is there anything I can get for you? I'm going to be out later
 > tonight, but I have the time now to get something for you if you want."
 >
 > "Going out?" Kachiko asked, wondering  why he wasn't dropping any hints
 > about her coming along. He always had before. His refusal to act like his
 > normal self was even weirder than Nabiki acting touchy-feely and
 > Kasumi not
 > ranting about her being 'Mother' and trying to turn her into a housewife.

    She hasn't been paying attention very well, has she?

 > Soun chuckled, his amusement tinted with a touch of embarrassment.
 > "Yes, a
 > date, if  you must know. It seems Hinako is a very nice girl after
 > all, just
 > as you thought. We've been getting along very well of late." His eyes
 > took
 > on a distant gleam. "It is nice dating again after all these years.
 > I'm not
 > as rusty as I used to be." The brief trip down memory lane stopped as

    A trip down mammary-- I mean, MEMORY lane that doesn't trip over Kachi. 
  Oooh, boy, Soun's finally getting over her.
    Uh, Hinako, the "mammary lane" thing was a PUN.  Okay?  Put the coin 
down...

 > pestering that had been their trademarks for so long. She damned them for
 > their understanding at a time when she wanted their ire. Now she felt
 > worse
 > than ever.

    How DARE you be good to me?!?

 > Radiating an aura of depression that rivaled the terror Soun's demon head
 > attack could generate, Kachiko trudged toward her room. She was almost

    At this rate she may re-invent the SSH independently...

 > The matriarch of the Saotome clan stood before the shorter girl, bringing
 > all of her regal mien to bear. "While I am... not totally displeased
 > at your
 > continued survival,

    Call the newspapers!

 >let me assure you that I will never allow you to
 > endanger my son again, you annoying little trollop."

    I suppose *technically* one could link the blame that way, as a second- 
or third-order effect.

 > A confused Nodoka was left behind, muscles in her face twitching
 > uncontrollably at her threat having the opposite of its intended
 > reaction.
 > She spun on her heel, intent on finding her husband and complaining to
 > him
 > about the little brat's intolerable behavior.

    And Kachi gets a little (inadvertant) payback.

 > He rolled over for the fifth time in as many minutes. This was
 > useless. Rest
 > proved as elusive as Azusa Shiratori on roller skates. Ranma threw off

    What an image.

 > his
 > covers and rose to his feet, regardless of the time, intent on demanding
 > Kachiko tell him what was bothering her. Only together could they bear
 > the
 > burden that would break them should they try to bear it individually.

    For Ranma, this is downright insightful, for something concerning 
emotional burdens.

 > Once again he continued
 > walking up
 > the stairs and locating the dagger that was being thrust into his
 > conscience.

    Seems awkward.  Sug:  "He started walking up the stairs again, on his 
way to locating (doing something about?) the dagger stuck in his 
conscience.."

 > He made his way to Kachiko's door without further incident. Deciding
 > to try
 > the door first, rather than knocking and possibly arousing the other
 > denizens of the house, he found  the doorknob turned easily in his grip.
 > Rather than opening it slowly, and producing a long, excruciating squeak
 > from infrequently oiled hinges, he thrust the door open, then slid

    That works, although the displaced air makes problems of its own.
    Who, me?  No, I've never done much sneaking around in houses at night. 
  Why do you ask?

 > Kachiko Tendou sat cross-legged in the middle of the dojo floor. The cool
 > feel of wood caressing her bottom

    Akane:  FLOOR NO HENTAI!   <WHAM!>
    C'mon, you have to admit that's an *odd* turn of phrase.

 > stood in stark contrast to the heat she
 > felt coming from her body. She absorbed her surroundings. The wooden

    Didn't know she was "Crusher" Creel's daughter.

 > boards
 > lining the walls and floor, both ones from her time and newer ones
 > from as
 > recent as a couple of weeks ago. The sign bearing the black symbols of

    I'd drop "symbols" entirely.

 > the
 > kanji for the Tendou School of Martial Arts. The smell of sinew and
 > strain
 > of combat that was worked into the very air as decades of martial arts
 > had
 > been practiced in the dojo. It was a little overwhelming when taken
 > all at
 > once.

    Reminds me of Miles Vorkosigan's comments about the weight of previous 
generations on his shoulders.

 > But essentially, the reminiscing was nothing more than a delaying

    Sug:  reminiscence.

 > Kachiko picked up the small bundle wrapped in white cloth. Delicately 
 >she
 > unwrapped the item. It hadn't been difficult to find. The Tendou clan,
 > especially with it being steeped in tradition for generations, would

    I'd drop the "especially with it being"

 > She changed her mind. Better one quick thrust to the heart to end it all,
 > rather than the prolonged agony of disembowelment. True, there was a
 > chance
 > the blow might not be fatal, but she had confidence in her strength of
 > arm
 > and steady aim.

    <shudder>

 > The point of the blade lay poised above her heart, hovering a foot
 > away. It
 > was so very hard to make it go forward. It took a moment of pondering
 > what
 > would happen if she didn't use the blade, and the inevitable outcome,
 > before
 > her resolve firmed once more.
 >
 > Using all the force she could muster, the blade descended. It sliced into
 > flesh, eliciting a snarl of pain.
 >
 > "No!" Kachiko cried out as Ranma bit through the agony and ripped the
 > blade
 > out of her hand and hurled it away.
 >
 > Kachiko tried to crawl forward to the blade, but Ranma stopped her,

    Sug:  "crawl after the blade"

 > ignoring
 > the blood flowing freely from his slashed fingers. He had never been more
 > determined to stop someone from doing something, and refused to allow
 > her to
 > move him a centimeter. Luckily, the battle didn't last long, as though
 > Kachiko had no desire to win in the first place. She quickly gave up the
 > struggle, going limp in his arms and releasing a mantra of deep throated
 > sobs.

    Mantra?  Hm...  Maybe torrent?
    Otherwise, this works very nicely.  Very high pucker factor.

 > Once Ranma was convinced she would struggle no further, but keeping a
 > firm
 > hold on her body, he shouted, "What do you think you were trying to do?!"

    Maybe drop "body"

 > Kachiko trembled in his strong grip, continuously sobbing and barely
 > able to

    Sug:  "sobbing/crying so hard she could barely speak."

 > speak. "Don't you understand? I have to do this. I won't play the game
 > Fate's trying to stick me with. If I can't have control over my life, at
 > least I can have control over my death. Let me die!"
 >
 > "No! If you kill yourself, you won't have any future at all," Ranma
 > angrily
 > retorted.

    Totally true, and utterly ironic, in context.

 > "I don't have one no matter what I do. This way it's my choice instead
 > of me
 > being victimized by others. It'll be under my terms. It's the only
 > choice I
 > have left. And now you're denying me even that. Now I'm doomed to a slow,
 > lingering death by pieces instead of a quick one. I hate you." There
 > was no
 > true malice in her words. They were a weak attempt at lashing out at a

    Sug:  "to lash out"

 > convenient target. All her true anger was directed at her situation,
 > and the
 > hopelessness in it.

    Sug:  "(sheer) hopelessness of it."

 > Kachiko sank into his arms, sniffling almost inaudibly. The ordeal had
 > drained her of her strength and that was the best she could  manage.
 >
 > Ranma held her cradled in his arms. He didn't fully understand the
 > situation, but he had an idea of what she was talking about. He did
 > the only
 > thing he could do. His arms wrapped around her more firmly, and he
 > held her
 > nearly limp form close to his body.

    When in doubt, go with loyalty.

 > "Don't worry. I'll be at your side the entire time. I won't leave you for
 > nothing, no matter what."

    And since this a a Ranma fic, someone (Akane) just *had* to hear that 
last bit out of context...
    The worst part is, that's a promise he *can't* keep... and he may never 
know that he broke it.

 > Her luck held true as she arrived just in time to see Ranma embracing
 > Kachiko and swear his oath. It was the sort of thing he would have
 > done for
 > Akane, at least before Kachiko had appeared and stolen him away before
 > Akane
 > knew there was anything wrong.

    There are none so blind...

 > not with a bang, but with a whimper in the form of a quiet vow made by
 > Ranma. He always kept his vows, save the one he had made to Akane at
 > Mount
 > Phoenix. He had turned his back on that one fast enough. But then,
 > everyone
 > always said love was a fleeting thing. It was just proof that adage was
 > true.

    Oh, Akane, open your eyes.  Ranma may be terrible at expressing how he 
feels, but you're just as bad at *seeing* what he does show.

 > What was left for Akane now? Kachiko had come in and taken everything she
 > wanted. The others had made her an accepted part of the family. She would
 > probably inherit the dojo.
 >
 > She had Ranma's love.
 >
 > That was the only thing Akane truly felt an aching longing for. Ranma. He
 > had become the center of her world without her knowing it, and now he was
 > gone, despite still being there in the same house. She didn't know how to
 > deal with it. It was too much, too fast, to have all of her month long
 > fears
 > become a reality before her eyes. And she only had herself to blame.
 > All of
 > it because of one hastily worded wish that she never wanted to make in
 > the
 > first place.

    Oh, she wanted to wish her mother back (however inadvertant the actual 
wish was).  She just wanted her back on *Akane's* terms.    

 > Akane had made it only halfway back to her room when a girl's
 > high-pitched
 > scream come from the dojo. It was the most horrifying thing Akane had
 > heard
 > in her life, and ran a chill down her spine that for one fleeting moment,
 > drowned out the sorrow in her own soul.

    I'd drop the last comma.
    Looks like Kachi's (pen?)ultimate jump is here.

 > The mystery of the cloud lasted only a moment when the strange hue
 > triggered
 > Akane's memory. Her heart nearly stopped as the mist moved away from her,
 > swirling about in a funnel and taking on the form of a pillar. Even
 > that did
 > not last long as the top of it slowed, coalescing. The upper half become
 > solidified, changing into an almost human form, while the lower half
 > remained a cloud of mist hovering above the floor.

    I'll admit, I never saw this coming.

 > Inhuman, pupilless yellow eyes, gazed at Akane. She swore they looked
 > both
 > at her and through her simultaneously.
 >
 > "You!" Akane gasped. "What are you doing here?"
 >
 > No emotion was on the creature's face. It might as well have been
 > chiseled
 > from marble. "I AM HERE AS PER MY INSTRUCTIONS."
 >
 > "I didn't tell you to come back," Akane insisted, a fear blossoming in
 > her
 > chest. A hope blossoming in her chest.

    Nice dichotomy.  Just as an alternative:
    "An icy fear settling in her stomach, a tremulous hope blossiming in 
her chest."

 > "NOT YOURS, BUT RATHER HE WHO SCRIBED THE WISH, BINDING A COVENANT
 > BETWEEN
 > YOUR WORLD AND MINE."
 >
 > "Why didn't you tell me then?" Akane asked, neither hope nor fear being
 > confirmed by his response.
 >
 > "THERE WAS NO NEED FOR IT. YOU WOULD NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD WHY, BUT NOW YOU
 > MIGHT. NOW IT FALLS UPON YOU TO FINALIZE YOUR WISH."
 >
 > Now hope seized control of the situation. "It's not permanent?"
 >
 > The being's voice boomed. "NOT YET. IT IS A SAFEGUARD BUILT  INTO THE
 > VERY
 > WISH ITSELF BY HE WHO SCRIBED THE WISH. DID YOU NOT WONDER WHY ONE WOULD
 > CREATE A WISH, YET NOT USE IT? WHY BIND IT TO PARCHMENT ONLY TO BE
 > USED BY
 > ANOTHER?"

    Extreme generosity?
    No, I suspect that this wish, while not a Monkey's Paw, was 
deliberately designed to give the wisher something other than what they 
wanted.  Maybe... something they need?

 > "I hadn't thought of that," Akane admitted. It was Happosai who had it in
 > his possession, not her. She had just accepted the opportunity
 > presented to
 > her, and screwed it up in the worst way possible.

    I doubt Happi wrote it, though.

 > "HE DID IN FACT USE ONE, EVEN AS YOU HAVE USED YOURS, AND THOSE THAT CAME
 > INTO POSSESSION OF THE OTHER SCROLLS USED THEIRS. HOWEVER, HE LEARNED,
 > MUCH
 > TO HIS ETERNAL SORROW, THAT THE THINGS WE WISH FOR ARE RARELY THE
 > THINGS WE
 > TRULY NEED... OR EVEN WANT."

    I call quibble.  While that may be true in general, Akane really *did* 
want her mother back, even if she worded it poorly.  And it's hard to 
argue that not having had to grow up without her mother is something she 
(and the entire family) *didn't* need.
    But I suspect the hidden purpose steering this wish hasn't entirely 
shown its hand, yet...

 > For the first time since Akane saw the magical being, she detected an
 > emotion coming from him: that of sadness. "Yes, I know what you mean."
 >
 > "AND SO THE SAFEGUARD NOW COMES INTO PLAY, A MOMENT OF TRUTH EVEN MORE
 > IMPORTANT THAN WHEN YOU FIRST NAMED YOUR WISH. THE TIME HAS COME TO MAKE
 > YOUR CHOICE."

    Pay attention to that second line, Akane.

 > She needed to be certain. "What choice?"
 >
 > "THE WISH WAS NOT PERMENANT. IT WAS BUT TEMPORARY, GIVING YOU A TASTE OF
 > WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU DESIRED. NOW THAT YOU HAVE MADE YOUR WISH, YOU
 > HAVE THE
 > CHOICE OF LEAVING IT IN PLACE, OR MAKING IT AS THOUGH IT HAD NEVER TAKEN
 > PLACE."
 >
 > This was it! The thing she had hoped for when the being first mentioned a
 > choice. Now things could  go back to the way they had been. Everyone
 > could
 > go back to normal like before Kachiko stuck her nose in where it didn't
 > belong. Kasumi would act like her old self. Nabiki wouldn't be siding
 > against Akane. Their father wouldn't be pursuing Hinako and the teacher
 > wouldn't become the girls' stepmother. Ranma would love Akane like he had
 > before. And Kachiko could go back to...
 >
 > ....Back to being dead.

    Yeah, there's that little sticking point.
    Like I said, I never saw this coming, but I suppose it was Dramatically 
Inevitable that this would all come back to Akane, the one person who 
didn't gain anything from Kachi's presence.  Nabiki loosened up a bit, 
Kasumi's good-housewife prison has cracks in it, and Soun is finally 
discovering that there may be Life After Kachi after all.  But all those 
changes are *bad* things from Akane's POV, and for her Kachi has done 
nothing but make her life *worse* than it was before.  Akane's the only 
Tendo who hasn't learned a darn thing through this whole mess.  
    But she's got one chance left...

 > Now that Akane was confronted with the reality of the situation, she felt
 > hesitation. Wouldn't undoing the wish be the same thing as wishing her
 > mother was dead? She couldn't possibly do such a thing. Except, Kachiko
 > wasn't really her mother in any sense of the word. The time-lost girl
 > would
 > have been the first to eagerly point it out, and did so with regularity.
 > Even Kasumi wasn't treating her like their mother anymore. She was
 > just some
 > annoying teenager ruining things worse than Shampoo or Kodachi ever had.
 >
 > And it was Kachiko's fate to be in the past, wasn't it? Doing something
 > wasn't the same thing as undoing it. She would only be setting them
 > back to
 > their proper place, which had already happened. Even the wish hadn't
 > undone
 > that. Akane wouldn't be making something happen: she'd be allowing
 > events to
 > unfold the way they were meant to. The way they already had. The natural
 > order would be restored. That wouldn't be wrong, would it? Interfering
 > with
 > destiny was what had been wrong, wasn't it?

    Yeah.  Right.

 > "Can't I just get a second wish, or rephrase it?" Akane all but pleaded.

    "I swear I'll get it right *this* time!"

 > "NO. YOU MUST DECIDE YES OR NO IF YOU WANT THE WISH TO CONTINUE OR IF YOU
 > WANT IT TO END."

    Sug:  "OR NO:  IF"

 > This was what Akane had been afraid of. But this time she had a chance to
 > think about the nature of the wish. She had thought of little else in the
 > last couple of months. If only she had wished for something simple, like
 > Ranma being cured or Happosai not being a pervert, or for better martial
 > arts, or even for the weather to be clear. Had any of those happened, she
 > wouldn't have had to deal with this hell she had been thrown into. She
 > wouldn't have to consider such an unpleasant decision that would haunt
 > her
 > for the rest of her life.

    Yeah, sure.  I'd like a peek into one of *those* alt-unis.

 > Again Akane began grasping for another way out of the dilemma. "What
 > happens
 > if she goes back? Will it change the present or something?"
 >
 > "ALL WILL BE AS IT IS NOW."

    Oracular, much?

 > That was one concern taken care of, and the easiest way out of the
 > situation. But there were other matters of equal importance. "If she
 > stays
 > here, will it mess up the present, like my sisters and I won't be born?"
 >
 > "ALL WILL BE AS IT IS NOW."

    That's not an answer.  For one thing, define "NOW."  Now-now, or 
now-asit-would-have-been.
    Call me paranoid, but I think Genie-boy's being very deliberately vague 
here.

 > Again, she was denied having the matter taken out of her hands. In a
 > voice
 > so soft it was barely audible, she asked, "If I make the wish go away,
 > will
 > I... will everyone remember what happened?"

    I know it sucks, Akane, but quit trying to duck the responsibility.

 > "WHAT HAS HAPPENED WAS REAL. WHETHER OR NOT YOU REMEMBER IS
 > IRRELEVENT. IF
 > YOU UNMAKE THE WISH, YOU UNMAKE IT. THAT IS REAL. IF YOU LEAVE THE
 > WISH AS
 > IT IS, THAT IS REAL, TOO."

    Which *still* says nothing.  I smell a rat.

 > He was correct. She didn't want to admit it, but was unable to deny
 > it. Even
 > if she couldn't remember, she still would have been responsible for her
 > actions and the effect they had. It was what Akane was afraid of. It was
 > everything she had wished for, but didn't want to face. It would solve
 > all
 > of her problems, but in the worst way possible.

    Yeah.  She's finally up against it.

 > The being's voice lost some of its intensity as it said, "MY TIME ON THIS
 > PLANE OF EXISTENCE GROWS SHORT."
 >
 > "I need more time to decide!" Akane pleaded.
 >
 > "TIME IS USELESS TO YOU NOW. YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT YOU MUST DO," the
 > being
 > said simply.

    I suppose so. Assuming she's learned what she needed to learn.

 > And Akane felt the truth of his words. Deep in her heart, she knew
 > what she
 > had to do. She had simply wanted to postpone the choice forever, so she
 > wouldn't have to deal with the burden placed upon her by the decision.
 > But
 > there was no time. She had to say it aloud to make it true, and live with
 > the consequences for now until the end of time.

    Of course, if no-one remembers it, and it never actually happened, are 
you still responsible?
    Time-travel ethics give me a headache...

 > She had made the wish in the beginning, it was only just that she would
 > decide how everything would turn out. Others' opinions didn't figure into
 > the equation. Not her family's. Not Ranma's. Not even Kachiko's,
 > despite so
 > much of the wish involving her. It was a choice that Akane had to make
 > for
 > her own sake and hers alone, since she would bear sole responsibility for
 > everything that had happened and would happen from that moment onward.

    "I don't believe in the no-win scenario."
    "YOU ARE NOT CAPTAIN KIRK.  NOW CHOOSE."

 > Voice heavy with regret, Akane said with a tone of finality, "Very
 > well. I
 > want you to--
 >
 > xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    <blink>  AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!
    DB, you cliffhanging sonnava--!   GAH!

 > [END CHAPTER] Only the epilogue to go.

    <grump>  Okay, fine, I'll wait.  <grump>




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